Whether applied to the skin or diffused, essential oils are true multitaskers. They can boost your mood, help you sleep better, relieve stress and headaches, soothe achy joints and muscles, and more.
But before you start using them, make sure you know how to use them safely. These concentrated plant extracts can harm your body if used incorrectly.
How to Use
Essential oils have gotten a lot of buzz lately, touted for everything from improving skin health to promoting sleep and relieving headaches. These concentrated plant substances can indeed have positive effects on your health when used correctly. However, it’s important to remember that these powerful tools should be used with caution and respect.
Inhaling essential oil directly can irritate the respiratory system and can cause a variety of symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, nasal congestion and shortness of breath. Individuals with existing respiratory conditions like asthma may be particularly susceptible to these negative effects.
Ingesting pure essential oils can also result in a digestive system reaction, including abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. The good news is that most common oils are generally safe to ingest when diluted properly with an edible oil such as olive or coconut. It’s always best to consult with an experienced aromatherapist or medical professional for personalized advice.
Safety
Essential oils are highly concentrated, potent substances that have not been subjected to the same level of rigorous testing as pharmaceutical drugs. Therefore, they may not be safe for everyone, including children and pregnant women. Because of this, a holistically trained aromatherapist or certified medical doctor should always supervise essential oil use for these populations.
Certain essential oils can irritate the eyes or mucous membranes, so proper dilution is key to minimizing this risk. Also, since the skin’s reaction to essential oils can vary from person to person, it is important to pay attention to your own personal response and adjust usage accordingly.
Because of their potency, essential oils should be stored out of reach from children. Even “safe” oils like tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) and eucalyptus (“Eucalyptus globulus”) can be toxic if ingested, so it’s best to keep your bottles securely locked away. Additionally, if you plan to use essential oils with children, consider purchasing child resistant caps.
Precautions
When used incorrectly, essential oils can be dangerous. Educate yourself on safety guidelines.
Keep essential oil bottles out of reach of children. Even two-year olds have been known to unscrew caps from essential oil bottles and drink the contents. While this is rarely fatal, it can still cause digestive upset and should be reported to poison control.
If ingested, some essential oils can be toxic to the digestive tract and can cause skin irritation. Always use diluted oils for skin applications and never ingest essential oils or apply them directly to the skin, except under the guidance of a qualified aromatherapist.
Look for reputable brands of essential oils that have been correctly stored. Also, pay attention to the country of origin, extraction method and chemical composition. Some oils may have added ingredients, and the quality of those ingredients can vary. For example, lavender cultivated in the French Alps may smell nothing like lavender grown in the US.
Ingredients
Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts that are used in aromatherapy to promote relaxation, stress relief and mood enhancement. They contain natural chemicals called alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ketones and phenols. Their chemical composition varies among different plants, and within the same plant species.
Whether you’re using a diffuser or applying to the skin, these oils can be helpful for reducing pain, nausea and anxiety. But before you start using them, talk to your doctor because they can interact with certain medications.
Some have antibacterial, antifungal, and immune-enhancing properties. For example, lemon oil contains limonene, which may help prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. There’s also some evidence that peppermint oil can relieve irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, and that fennel and clary sage have estrogen-like properties that may help with PMS and menopause. But research on these oils is limited. And there’s a lot of misinformation out there about them. Choosing quality products is important.
